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Saving the World. Not Blowing it Up
By J. Jeff Toler for Shenandoah Christian Alliance j.toler@sca4christ.org
In a recent Daily Wire podcast featuring Jordan B Peterson, he and geologist Scott Tinker sat down to tackle the controversies of climate change, population growth, and economics. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4HCtx84uQY] We will discover that increasing the supply of cheap and available energy has proven to be the best way to lift people out of poverty.
They discussed the basics of energy density, biome comparisons, moving molecules, and nuclear reactor pellets. It’s a fascinating discussion that will require putting aside about 90 minutes of your life learning something new. But It’s worth it because Tinker convincingly dispels most of the prevailing energy assumptions and climate myths, not the least of which would be the near hysterical view of nuclear energy as life and climate saving.
Among the most surprising, but exceptionally purposeful, revelations is how abundant and affordable energy affords the capability to lift large masses of the world’s population out of poverty. And in so doing, manages the rate of over-population—if there is such a thing—in the world’s poorest countries.
The key to understanding this is seeing how, over millennia, the energy to heat our dwellings, cook our food and light our way in the darkness has evolved over time.
As we will see, low density biomass fuels, a term used to described the types of fuel available down through the ages, figured into the equation of population density, migration, and advancement. Populations increased ever so slowly. Until they increased suddenly.
In the modern era, following the second world war, we arrived at the point where the use of nuclear energy was not only possible, but viable.
Proponents of nuclear energy come from diverse fields—such as science, politics, environmentalism, and industry. They advocate for nuclear power as a critical tool for addressing climate change, ensuring energy security, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. It’s taken thousands of years to arrive at a point where inexpensive and abundant energy has become a major policy formation in confronting security, poverty, and population migration.
Consider These Factoids:
At the time of the ice age (assuming 10,000 years ago) earth’s population was estimated to be between 1 and 10 million) [https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/international-programs/historical-est-worldpop.html]
If this is true—epoch over epoch, the earth’s population grew relatively slowly—around 25-30 million people every millennia. In the year 30 AD, about the time of Christ on earth, the planet’s population was estimated to be around 200-259 million people.
In 1804, around two millennia later, the first application of the steam engine was developed. At that time, the population of the earth was estimated to be around 1 billion.
Today, estimates place the number of people living on earth to be 8.2 billion—give or take a couple of hundred million. So, how did the astonishing scale of growth, which, looking like the oft-used analogy of “hockey stick,” actually happen?
It was by the introduction of new fuels needed to power the new technology, which were in turn inspired even newer fuels. From wood to coal, coal to oil, oil to kerosene, and to gasoline. Fuel density and increased energy output grew by leaps and bounds.
In the last 80 years, the notion of nuclear power—with the latest discovery being thorium—has opened the way to astonishingly efficient, cost-effective fuel, whose energy availability will last easily 100 years per cycle. It’s only recently gaining favor among a growing circle of enthusiasts.
Environmentalists and Climate Scientists
Some of the advocates who support nuclear as a low-carbon energy source to combat climate change are:
- James Hansen – Former NASA climate scientist, widely credited with raising early awareness of global warming. He’s a vocal supporter of nuclear energy as essential for deep decarbonization.
- Michael Shellenberger – Founder of Environmental Progress and author of Apocalypse Never. Former anti-nuclear activist turned pro-nuclear advocate. Zealous converts are often the most persuasive.
- George Monbiot – British environmentalist and The Guardian columnist who publicly shifted to supporting nuclear energy after the Fukushima disaster.
- Mark Lynas – British environmental writer and author of Nuclear 2.0, argues nuclear is essential for a sustainable future.
Scott Tinker, Geologist
Scientists and Engineers
Technical experts advocating based on energy efficiency, safety, and climate imperatives:
- Leslie Dewan – Nuclear engineer and co-founder of Transatomic Power, focused on advanced molten salt reactor designs.
- Kirsty Gogan – Co-founder of TerraPraxis and LucidCatalyst, promotes advanced nuclear technologies as part of clean energy portfolios.
- Robert Hargraves – Author of Thorium: Energy Cheaper Than Coal, promoting thorium reactors as a safe nuclear alternative.
Policymakers and Think Tanks
Regardless of what we might think of their political views, these people support national and global nuclear energy:
- Bill Gates – Founder of TerraPower, which develops advanced reactors (like the Natrium reactor). He sees nuclear as vital to achieving net-zero emissions.
- Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA): Promotes small modular reactors (SMRs) as part of Virginia’s energy future.
- Emmanuel Macron – President of France, is a staunch supporter of nuclear power. He should. France derives about 70% of its electricity from nuclear.
- Donald Trump – has generally supported nuclear energy as part of an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy.
Industry and Non-Profit Organizations
Driving innovation and public education on the nuclear option, are these influential organizations:
- Switch Energy Alliance – Founded by Scott Tinker, while not exclusively nuclear-focused, it includes nuclear as part of a balanced global energy mix.
- Third Way – Centrist think tank in the U.S. advocating for innovation in nuclear technology to meet climate goals.
- Generation Atomic – Youth-oriented pro-nuclear advocacy group using outreach and storytelling to change public perception.
- Clean Air Task Force – Promotes nuclear alongside renewables to achieve decarbonization.
If nuclear is important, why has the US been reluctant to produce it? It comes down to the politics of socialist ideology. Also, let’s not forget that people are still creeped out by the nuclear bomb.
Can these scientists, policy makers, and social influencers finally be able to overcome the enormous stigma of nuclear power? It’s been 80 years since atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. Time enough to support them in doing so for the sake of humanity.
If that sounds over the top, consider these 2024 statistics on poverty:
- Extreme Poverty: Approximately 700 million people, or 8.5% of the world’s population, live on less than $2.15 per day.
- Moderate Poverty: Around 3.5 billion people, or 44% of the global population, live on less than $6.85 per day, a threshold relevant for upper-middle-income countries. blogs.worldbank.org+3worldbank.org+3theguardian.com+3
- Multidimensional Poverty: Over 1.1 billion people experience multidimensional poverty, which includes deprivations in health, education, and living standards. hdr.undp.org
According to a 2021 Pew Research Center analysis, approximately 7% of the global population was considered high income, which is defined as earning more than $50 per day (about $18,250 annually) in 2011 purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars. While this threshold is below $50,000, it indicates that a relatively small fraction of the global population earns incomes approaching that level.
Now we know why Increasing the supply of cheap and available energy has proven to be the best way to lift people out of poverty.
- “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’” —Deuteronomy 15:11
Cover Photo by Lukáš Lehotský on Unsplash
